PCOS Challenge Announces Family Building Grant to Help People Impacted by Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Infertility

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PCOS Challenge: The National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Association

Sep 30, 2021, 09:36 ET

ATLANTA, Sept. 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PCOS Challenge: The National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Association announces its 2021 grant to help patients struggling with infertility caused by polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) build their families. The PCOS Challenge Family Building Grant includes a free IVF cycle and is the first grant of its kind specifically for people with infertility caused by PCOS.

PCOS is a genetic, endocrine, metabolic, and reproductive disorder that affects up to 15 percent of women in the United States. PCOS is the most common hormone disorder in women and accounts for approximately 80 percent of women with anovulatory infertility. In addition to its impact on fertility, PCOS also carries higher risks for type 2 diabetes, stroke, cardiovascular disease, endometrial cancer, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, anxiety, depression, and other serious conditions--all at a younger age.

"There are significant gaps in access to care for PCOS patients related to insurance coverage for infertility, nutrition counseling, hair and skin issues, and other related health concerns," says Sasha Ottey, Executive Director of PCOS Challenge. "PCOS is the leading cause of anovulatory infertility. Many patients affected by PCOS cannot get the help they need to build their families as most insurance plans do not cover infertility.

"We are proud to partner with leading practices like The IVF Center: Fertility CARE and RMA of Connecticut to offer the PCOS Challenge Family Building Grant. It is a significant step forward in addressing an underserved area of PCOS care that we hope others will follow and support. PCOS patients need more organizations to help. We are happy that with the assistance of The IVF Center: Fertility CARE and RMA of Connecticut, we can help address this major gap in healthcare."

"This year, The IVF Center: Fertility Care again donates a free IVF cycle to a PCOS patient through the PCOS Challenge Family Building Grant. We have pledged to do this annually," says Dr. Mark Trolice, Medical Director of The IVF Center: Fertility Care. "While we are working and advocating to get insurance coverage for fertility treatments, we hope that offering this grant can help ease the financial burden of family-building for one lucky couple each year. I urge my colleagues to also work with PCOS Challenge to offer this grant for a patient in their area because patients should not have to struggle financially to have a child."

"My patient received a PCOS Challenge Family Building Grant last year. She is now pregnant. We are excited for her and her husband who would not have been able to move forward without this grant, and we are very thankful," says Dr. Joshua Hurwitz, Reproductive Endocrinologist at RMA of Connecticut.

Dr. Ilana Ressler, a Reproductive Endocrinologist and another member of the RMA of Connecticut team, says, "Too often, couples who are trying to build their families run out of insurance coverage before they reach their goals, or simply don't have insurance coverage at all. Paying for fertility treatment out of pocket is not an option for many people. When we saw the opportunity to partner with PCOS Challenge to offer a family-building grant that includes a free IVF cycle, we were excited to say yes!"

Grant Details
The deadline to apply for the PCOS Challenge Family Building Grant is November 21, 2021. Grants are awarded once per year. For more information about the grant, how to apply, donate, or become a grant partner, visit https://pcoschallenge.org/family-building-grant.

About PCOS Challenge: The National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Association
Serving over 55,000 members, PCOS Challenge is the largest PCOS support and advocacy organization globally. PCOS Challenge's program areas include PCOS awareness, support and empowerment, education, legislative advocacy and health policy, access to care, and research. PCOS Challenge is leading the health policy development and legislative advocacy efforts at the federal and state level for PCOS to address gaps in research, access to care, and quality of care for patients. PCOS Challenge also offers the PCOS Confidence Grant to help patients with PCOS-related hair and skin issues.

Media Contact:
William R. Patterson
Director of Public Affairs
PCOS Challenge: The National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Association
(404) 855-7244

SOURCE PCOS Challenge: The National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Association